Cricket - The matchmaker

It is a known fact that Cricket is huge in India. Yet, I could never like the game. The reason can be traced back to my childhood. It was this game that lured my father and brother away from the “family carrom time”. While my mother would not mind as she used to easily find some household chores still left, I would sit in a corner and plan my revenge against the religion called cricket. With time, my urge to take revenge grew even stronger because I witnessed what all other sports persons other than cricketers were witnessing. The arrangements for other sports at school level games were no where near the royal treatment that Cricket used to get. An experience that I recently had is indeed worth sharing.

During any school tournaments, the school administration used to arrange one single bus for all the students even if they were playing different sports at different times. So during one of the inter-school tournament, I had no other option but to watch the cricket match in between my basketball and throwball match. While all other girls were excited to find their new crushes amongst the finest batsmen and bowlers of the city, I tried to find solace in a novel which I carried for unavoidable emergencies like this. Having a crush on a cricketer was against my principles. The constant screaming and cheering by my friends at every damn balll bowled made it difficult for me to concentrate on my book. As I got up to sit at a distance, God decided to me mean to me. The batsmen hit the first six of the match. And out of 300 people, the ball chose me. I got hit by the ball on my back. The organisers got worried and offered every possible help. Even after I told them a million times that I am absolutely fine, they refused to start the match until I took a seat in the VIP lounge to watch the match. Now, I had to watch something that I cannot stand with the people who breathed it. Even Looking around became so difficult, reading my book was now a dream. Thus began the worst 70 minutes of my life.

I usually preferred to relax before any match but now I was so sure that the mental trauma I was going through will definitely affect my game. The blaring speakers, the stares by my coach (to behave well) and the discussion on the game were now crossing all the limits. But the best was yet to come. During a drinks break, the commentator decided to ask me my view on the game. He announced,” Here I have the girl who was hit by the ball”. I literally wished to smash his head with a bat. On top of this, the batsmen who hit me made a century. His friends started shouting that I am the lady luck for him. And he blushed. The nuisance went on till I boarded the bus to home. I was counting each ball. Finally, the match did come to an end but not my experience.

The batsman who hit me decided to take his “Man of the match” award in my presence. Hence, I was called from the throw ball field in between my warm up for the presentation. I just hoped that I never see this champion again. God save him. After the presentation, I quickly ran back to the field and began preparing for the match. It was a one-sided match. Our team won in two sets by huge margins. The victory somehow reduced the effect of the cricket trauma. Still, God wanted to test my patience. I was already being teased by my friends and on top of it, the “man of the match” sent a message that he wishes to talk to me. I replied very calmly, “But, I have already seen him enough for the day, hence, do not wish to see him even for a second”. Still, he came to meet me and told me that he would like to be friends with me and gave his contact number. I reached home and wished to completely forget the day forever.

This is a story of a friend whom I met seven years back during a state-level Basketball championship. We both became friends through our common enemy Cricket. Recently, I went to Mumbai for a vacation, she invited me over for a dinner at her place. She introduced me to her fiancée. He is none other than the “Man of the match”. She told me how with time she started enjoying the game. This girl is now the team manager of a Women’s cricket team. We no more have a common enemy. After meeting her, I do agree Cricket is that religion in India that unites all.